Vehicle theft often occurs when vehicles are left running and unattended. Locking or securing an unattended vehicle is not always possible in emergency situations, often due to the need to power vehicle lighting, on board computers, video and audio devices, and other vehicle features that record the events surrounding the emergency scene. For example, ambulances often have climate control devices needed to control the temperature of medications, as well as powered medical devices that must remain charged and ready for use instantly. In addition, these vehicles are also frequently exited by emergency response personnel very rapidly, making it more likely to overlook necessary steps to secure the vehicle.
As a theft prevention mechanism, it has previously been contemplated to automatically deploy the parking brake in emergency vehicles equipped with air brakes. Such methods are described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/101,068, which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This approach is also advantageous in that it can be readily retrofit into existing vehicles. However, the same approach is less readily adapted to vehicles without air brakes, where manual mechanical power must be applied to engage the parking brake.